Broadcaster, producer and comedy presenter Victor Lewis-Smith has died at the age of 65.
The Borkowski PR agency said he died in Bruges, in Belgium, on Saturday following a short illness.
Publicist Mark Borkowski said: “I am in deep shock, having to issue the news about the death of Victor Lewis Smith. Struggling to come to terms with the loss of a unique and irreplaceable talent.”
He went on to say: “When I was asked to issue the death notice – I couldn’t process it adequately. I had to check it wasn’t a bizarre stunt – something we often mused about. Let’s not forget Victor managed to persuade a BBC tea-lady’ to represent him at a BBC disciplinary hearing.”
Victor Lewis-Smith was well-known to radio listeners and broadcasters. He started in local radio before moving to the BBC. He hosted his first programme for BBC Radio 1 in 1988 under the pseudonym Steve Nage, parodying the Simon Bates-style mid-Atlantic delivery of Radio 1 disc jockeys of the time.
His company Associated-Rediffusion made two series of the comedy show Victor Lewis-Smith for BBC Radio 1, for which he won a Best Comedy Radio Programme award in the 1990 British Comedy Awards.
He went on to co-create and narrated TV Offal in the late 1990s, which used radio jingles from JAM to introduce the different segments.
Victor Lewis-Smith is survived by his wife, Virginia, and his daughter, Lucia.
The joy of Victor Lewis Smith -RIP pic.twitter.com/28suzcZ5Ap
— Mark Borkowski (@MarkBorkowski) December 12, 2022
Sad to hear that Victor Lewis-Smith has died. His shows on @BBCR1 in the 90s were legendary with each episode carrying a warning.#AircheckDownloads pic.twitter.com/b4xv8v1y1L
— Aircheck Downloads (@airchecks) December 12, 2022
RIP Victor Lewis-Smith. Britain’s rudest, funniest & most dangerous writer. I once caught him recycling old jokes in his Mirror column & he retorted indignantly: ‘When Sinatra sang My Way, did people ask for their money back because they’d heard him sing it before?’ Loved him. pic.twitter.com/DtEsSw5yFL
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 12, 2022
RIP satirist and TV reviewer Victor Lewis-Smith. In tribute, here is one of his creations – The Gay Daleks! https://t.co/9nFtEDKDz3
— Paul Chantler (@PaulChantler) December 12, 2022
RIP the great Victor Lewis-Smith. My friend, collaborator & force of nature. He was a literary, comedic vandal of the highest order, a gentleman,loyal pal & one of the greatest conversationalists on the planet. To happier times, old friend. I shall miss you #VictorLewismith pic.twitter.com/3YmqhyKQwi
— David Tabizel (@Tabizel) December 12, 2022
I’m quietly devastated at the untimely death of Victor Lewis-Smith. I worked with him on several projects, including TV Offal. He could be incredibly hard to work with, and reduced me to tears on more than one occasion, BUT…
— Jake Yapp (@jakeyapp) December 12, 2022
SHIT. He once tore into me in classic VLS style – But I didn’t mind one bit. 1: Because he was so funny with it (Unlike bloody Steve Allen) and 2: I adored TV Offal (Check most of the series out on You Tube). Warped, twisted and sick. Loved him. https://t.co/fVPjxosXqt
— Greg Scott (@GregScottTV) December 12, 2022
RIP Victor Lewis Smith, the man who pretended he’d had a brain haemorrhage while playing the trumpet down the phone to Adrian Mills. Remarkable man.
— Matthew Rudd
(@MatthewJRudd) December 12, 2022
Victor Lewis-Smith also responsible for getting JAM jingles, and the company president on the “quiet and reserved” BBC Radio 4 back in 1986.
Guest Kenneth Williams was quite a fan…https://t.co/x61c4Y0WUO
— Robin Blamires (@RobinBlamires) December 12, 2022
This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk